1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to exercise devices, and more specifically, to an exercise device including a ball and socket arrangement mounted to a support surface to achieve 360° freedom of movement.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well-known that routine exercise is good for both the body and mind. Along these lines, each community typically includes a gym or fitness center where individuals can access a wide variety of exercise equipment. Although such gyms and fitness centers may facilitate routine exercise for certain individuals, there are various drawbacks associated with gyms and fitness centers. One drawback is that the gyms/fitness centers generally require membership for access into their facilities. The membership agreements may require a long-term commitment from the individual, which may add up to a significant expense for the individual. Another drawback is that it may be difficult for some individuals to make time in their day-to-day schedules to go to the gyms/fitness centers.
Therefore, various home-fitness machines have been developed to allow individuals to exercise within the comfort of their own home. Certain home-fitness machines are “universal” in nature, and allow an individual to exercise multiple muscle groups. However, such “universal” machines tend to be very large and very expensive. Other home-fitness machines are smaller and tend to focus on one particular muscle or muscle group.
Many of the smaller fitness devices tend to be of the “roller” variety, wherein a user rolls the device forward and backward along a planar surface to conduct the exercise. The device may include a wheel and handles for the user to grasp. The user may kneel on his knees and extend his torso away from his knees, and then back toward his knees, with the roller rolling forward and backward to facilitate such motion. The foregoing exercise may workout the user's core, especially the abdominal muscles and back muscles.
Although the smaller fitness devices may provide a suitable alternative to full-fledged gym memberships discussed above, there are certain features that are common to conventional roller-type exercise devices which detract from their overall utility. One drawback is that the devices are generally limited to a rolling motion along a single axis. In other words, the devices roll forward and backward along a common axis, and are not capable of rolling from side-to-side. Such side-to-side motion would be desirable to allow for a more circular exercise motion to work out more muscle groups.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a personal exercise device that offers a broader range of motion compared to traditional roller-type exercise devices. The present invention addresses this particular need, as explained in the following sections and as shown in the accompanying drawings.